Renowned pistol shooter and India’s high-performance coach in the 25m pistol competition, Jaspal Rana, died here on Friday. He was 49 years old.
Rana underwent surgery to place a stent in his heart recently after suffering chest pain and discomfort during the FIFA World Cup in Munich. He died at Max Hospital, Saket.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his condolence message on the death of the shooting legend.
“I am deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Jaspal Rana Ji. His demise is a huge loss to the world of Indian sports. He brought immense glory to the nation through his extraordinary achievements in shooting,” Prime Minister Modi posted on his official X account.
“His contribution was equally notable as a mentor, where he shaped and guided young athletes with great dedication. His unwavering commitment to excellence, discipline and service to the world of sports has earned him great admiration,” Prime Minister Modi added.
“It is tragic. I was told that he is recovering and was scheduled to be shifted to a private room soon. It is truly shocking,” said Pawan Singh, general secretary of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
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NRAI President Kalikesh Singh Deo wrote on
“I got a message from his father this morning, so I went to the hospital and I’m just coming back from there. It’s shocking. It’s a huge loss,” Kalikesh told HT.
He added: “He underwent heart surgery about a week ago and was recovering. When he returned from Munich (FIFA World Cup), he complained of some problems and was admitted to hospital, where they found some blockages in his heart. He was recovering and being monitored daily. In fact his brother told me that he could be discharged from the hospital today and we were happy that he could then join the team when he felt better. Then I received this shocking message in the morning from his family.”
One of the most decorated Indian shooters, Rana has won eight Asian Games medals and 15 Commonwealth Games medals during his glittering career as a 25m position fire specialist. Post his playing career, he contributed to the growth of Indian shooting by guiding the junior program at NRAI where he coached, mentored and groomed a number of world class talents like Manu Bhaker, Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala, Chinki Yadav, among others.
Rana received the Dronacharya Award in 2020 for his contribution as a coach, and his crowning glory came at the Paris Olympics in 2024 when he guided Manu to a historic bronze medal.
